Golf-ball.



Patentd Apr. I, I902.

E. KEMPSHALL.

G 0 L F B A L L (Application filed Jan. 31, 1902.)

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(No Model Witnesses.-

Nrrn STAT S ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEKEMPSHALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 696,893, dated April 1,1902.

Application filed January 81, 1902. Serial No. 91,975. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to playing-balls, such as used in the game ofgolf and other games. Its object is to produce at low cost an efficientball having the quality of being dead when given a light blow andexceedingly lively when struck a sharp blow.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a viewof a ball made according to my improvements, being partly broken away soas to exhibit its construction.

Fig. 2 illustrates a stage in the process of completing the ball.

I preferably employ a spherical core A, made of gutta-percha, which ispreferably introduced in a fluid condition and hardened within asuitable rubber envelop B, the guttapercha being forced into saidenvelop to such an extent as to materially expand said envelop, as setforth in an application filed by Francis II. Richards December 3, 1901,Serial No. 84,529, whereby the envelop, especially the exterior portionthereof, is put into a state of high longitudinal tension, as indicatedby broken curved lines O. The interior portion of r the envelop iscompressed by the exterior pertion, as indicated by the radial lines D,and the core is held constantly under compression by said envelop. Thecombination of compressed core and distended envelop enhances theefficiency of the ball when struck a heavy blow. However, if desired,soft rubber may be otherwise employed for inclosing a core.

Upon the compound rubber and guttapercha filling I place a shell E,ofgutta-percha, preferablyin the form of hollow hemispheres, the jointbetween them being indicated at F. Upon this shell I apply a coating ofmaterial G, said coating completely enveloping the core A and consistingof a thick or dense solution of celluloid or composition thereof,wl1ichis in such a plastic or fluid condition that it may be spread over thesphere E in a substantially even and somewhat thin layer. In practice Ifind that if this coating is one one hundredth of an inch, more or less,in thickness it may answer the purpose. The coating is then allowed todry to a sufficient extent, so that it can be handled safely. Thisdrying eifect-s a preliminary seasoning of the coating material. It willbe understood. that the material dried out or evaporated from thiscoating cannot at the subsequent heating and finishing operation workinto the interior of the ball to the detriment thereof. When saidcoating G has become sufliciently hardened, I apply a second coating I-Iover the ball, which in turn is allowed to dry until it attains therequired firmness. I then apply a third coating J, which is likewiseallowed to dry. In this manner one or more additional layers may besuccessively applied, according to the style of ball in hand. Inpractice I find that three layers, or at the most four layers, produce ashell of satisfactory qualities when the ball is intended for use in thegame of golf, provided that the shell so built up is supported upon acenter or core of suitable material and having the proper firmness. Theball thus built up is placed in finishing-dies K and L and subjected toboth heat and compression. In practice I prefer that the ball whenplaced in the dies shall be somewhat oversize, so that as thedie-sections are brought together they compress the ball, therebyefiecting atwofold purpose, first, to compress the core, so that it mayalways exert an outward elastic pressure upon the finished shell, and,second, to subject the material of the shell to compression as well asheat, thereby solidifying the material of the shell itself, so that itmay have the qualities of resistance, firmness, indestructibility, andspringiness, which are desirable ina golf-ball. The heat and pressuremay be applied for a considerable period, so that the ball may be wellseasoned.

The heating of the dies by softening the coatings G, H, and J not onlyinsures the kneading or welding of such coatings into one integralcasing M, but also facilitates the flowing of the material, so that theshape of the dies is imparted to the finished ball. The

ball may be allowed to cool while under compression, so that the latterwhen removed are sufficiently hardened to retain their shape.

Thus it will be seen that the casing is made without any seam or joint,and hence is well adapted at all points to withstand shocks from theblow of an implement or from being driven against a stone. At the sametime the ball is not subject to internal deterioration from the presenceof gas or other matter escaping from the celluloid into the interior ofthe ball during the heating. Moreover, the necessity for first rollingthe celluloid into sheets and then cutting the sheets into disks andcupping them is avoided and the trouble and expense of securing aperfect weld between the shelljoints is also avoided.

Preferably the heat is sufficient to also soften the gutta-percha shellE and enable it to weld at the joint F. I thus form a double shell uponthe rubber and gutta-percha filling which possesses great strength anddurability. The gutta-percha is thus caused to form one complete sphere,as at E, and the celluloid another complete covering, as at M.

The pressure of the dies compacts and s0- lidifies both the celluloidand gutta-percha components of the shell, the confined mass of rnbberandgutta-percha being sufficiently resisting to support the comparativelyweak material of the shell under any desired degree of pressure of theforming-dies.

By providing a backing of gutta-percha in the shell I am enabled toemploy a relatively thin com pound plate of celluloid for the outercovering, thereby not only reducing the expense, but also making itpossible to use celluloid in its most effective form, since a thin plateof this material possesses valuable characteristics not found or atleast imperfectly developed in a thick plate. For one thing a thin coverof celluloid may be better seasoned than a thick or massive cover, andit is more springy and pliant, while possessing the same wear-resisting,smooth, Waterproof, and other qualities which render the ball desirablein the game of golf. At the same time Iam enabled to use in the shell alarge mass of guttapercha, which possesses to a superlative degree thequality of storing up force from a blow, which is necessary in agolf-ball. It will be understood that it is important in View of thesmall size of the balls used in this game and the necessity of itscarrying or flying a great distance to use in its construction such acombination of materials as will utilize to advantage every portion ofthe mass of the ball, or, in other words, it is important to eliminateall dead weight therefrom. Hence it is desirable not only to provide acore or filling having the desired qualities, but also to providetherefor a shell which not only protects said filling, but also itselfcontributes in a large degree to the flying power or efficiency of theball, while preventing a light blow from affecting the highly-elasticinte rior. This desideratum is obtained in this instance by reducing thethickness of the celluloid cover, so as to retain only enough thereof toprovide a wear-resisting, waterproof, and otherwise satisfactoryexterior for the balls, and lining such cover with a relatively thickmass of gutta-percha, which not only has great carrying power, but istough. The celluloid overcomes the objections to the use of a plaingutta-percha exterior, while all of the advantages of the gutta-perchaare retained.

One important advantage of my celluloid shell resides in its quality ofretaining its original color throughout all the severe usage which itreceives in a game. The compressed core gives the entire shell a goodbacking at all points and tends to prevent such indentations of theshell by an implement as would cause the shell to crack. The celluloidcasing is not only practically indestructible, but is at the same timeso smooth that it offers little resistance to the air in its flight. Itdrives farther than any ball heretofore'produced, while on account ofits slipperiness it easily travels through grass, and is henceexcellently adapted to the game. It overcomes the defects of priorgolf-balls of being easily cut by a blow from an implement.

It will be understood that the resistance of the central mass at thecompressing operation furnishes a substantial support for sustaining therelatively thin shell against the pressure of the forming-dies andcooperates with the latter in producing the desired density or firm,tough, and springy texture of the shell.

In using the term compression herein as applied to the rubber sphere orto its core I refer to the gripping or compressive tendency of the shellor casing, which is due to maintaining great pressure of'the dies whilesaid shell or casing cools and hardens. This compressive tendency may ormay not be accompanied by a condensation of the bulk of the rubber orits core, the presence or absence of such condensation dependingupon thecharacter of the material used and upon the degree of pressure employedin formin g the ball. It is to be understood that in case condensationof the bulk of the core or its soft envelop takes place it is due to thepresence of airspaces or impurities in the material. It is not, however,essential that the core or rubher be always condensed in bulk. Whenusing the term seamless herein I mean to distinguish between mycelluloid shell and one made from hemispherical or other segments, whichhave seams extending in a radial direction, or, in other words, I meanthat my said shell is radially seamless. If desired, only one celluloidlayer may be used within the scope of my present improvements; but Iprefer to use several, for the reasons stated.

In using the term celluloid I refer to celluloid compounds generally anddo not limit myself to any particular variety of such compound nor toany particular grade or mixture of celluloid composition.

I usually pebble or score the exterior surface of golf-balls, theinterior surfaceof the dies being provided with depressions at G forthis purpose. In billiard-balls,to which some features of my inventionare applicable, the outer surface should usually be a smooth and truesphere.

Variations in construction, material, method, and other particulars maybe resorted to within the scope of my present improvements. Agutta-percha and celluloid shell maybe otherwise formed within the scopeof myimprovements and may be used with other fillings than those hereinspecifically mentioned.

The herein-described process is made the subject-matter of my pendingapplication, Serial No. 87,888, filed March 12, 1902.

Certain features of construction herein disclosed are made thesubjectmatter of my other pending application, Serial No. 90,442, filedJanuary 20, 1902, the claims herein reciting constructions not disclosedin the lastmentioned application.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprising aspherical rubber envelop distended by a filling of guttapercha, and ashell built up of gutta-percha and celluloid and compressed upon saidenvelop, tl1e celluloid portion of the shell being seamless.

2. A playing-ball comprising a spherical core of gutta-percha,a solidsoft-rubber spherical envelop thereon, a guttapercha shell upon saidenvelop, and a plurality of seamless layers of celluloid incasing saidshell.

3. A playing-ball comprising a spherical gutta-percha core,a soft-rubberenvelop there on, a relatively thick gutta-percha shell upon saidenvelop, and a celluloid covering upon said shell; said celluloidcovering being materially thinner than said gutta-percha shell, andcomprising a plurality of seamless layers fused or welded together.

4;. A playing-ball comprising a spherical gutta-percha core, a solidsoft-rubber spherical envelop thereon, a gutta-percha shell upon saidenvelop, and a seamless celluloid covering upon said shell; saidcelluloid and gutta-percha shell being compressed upon said envelop.

5. A playing ball comprising a gutta-percha spherical core, asoft-rubber envelop thereon, a gutta-percha shell upon. said envelop,and a multiple-ply thin celluloid covering compressed upon said shell;said gutta-percha shell being formed in segments welded and compressedupon said filling.

6. A playing-ball comprising a gutta-percha core, a soft-rubber envelop,a gutta-percha shell upon said envelop, and a celluloid coverin g uponsaid shell; said gutta-percha shell being made in sections or portionswhich are welded and compressed upon said filling, and said celluloidcomprising a plurality of welded coatings compressed upon said shell.

7. A playing-ball comprisinga gutta-percha core, a soft-rubber envelopthereon, a guttapercha shell upon said envelop, and a thin celluloidcovering upon said shell; said guttapercha shell being made in sectionswhich are welded and compressed upon said filling, and the celluloidcovering comprising a plurality of seamless layers welded together andcompressed upon said shell.

8. A playing-ball comprising a core which is inclusive of a sphericalbody of india-rubher, a shell of gutta-percha compressed upon said coreandaseamless celluloid casingcompressed upon said shell.

9. A playing-ball comprising a relativel large sphere of gutta-percha, ashell of guttapercha anintervening layer of soft, springy material; saidshell being compressed upon said intervening layer and core; and a thinseamless casing of celluloid com pressed upon said shell.

10. A playing-ball comprising a yielding filling,a thick gutta-perchashell compressed thereon; and a thin seamless celluloid casingcompressed upon said shell.

11. A playing-ball having an internal mass of rubber and gutta-perchaand-a seamless casin g or shell of hard, wear-resisting material.

12. A playing ball having an internal mass of soft rubber andgutta-percha and a seamless celluloid casing or shell.

13. A playing-ball having an internal mass of soft rubber andgutta-percha and aseamless celluloid casing compressed thereon.

14. A playing-ball having an internal mass of gutta-percha andsoft/rubber and a relatively thin seamless celluloid shell com pressedto size upon said mass so as to hold the latter under compression.

15. A playing-ball having an internal. mass of gutta-percha and rubberand a relatively thin shell consisting of several layers of celluloidcompressed upon said mass so asto hold the latter under compression.

. ELEAZEB. KEMPSI-IALL.

Witnesses:

B. O. STICKNEY, FRED. J. Donn.

